As of today, Feb 26 2011, all YouTube accounts (existing ones included) must be cross-linked with a Google account or they can't be accessed. To "confirm" the link they ask for your mobile phone # to send you a voicemail or text message containing an activation code. In other words you can't use a made-up number. The fact that Google is trying to blackmail us into using all their services as a package deal whether we want them all or not is irritating enough. Asking for information that's one step away from our names and... read full review »